Search

Read More About Location Update Request

Participating in Clinical Research Research studies play a vital role in aiding health providers in preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease. Deciding to participate in a research study is a very personal choice. Once enrolled, researchers may contact you regarding your participation interest. As part of your patient rights, you always have the option to opt-out of communications with researchers and may do so by filling out this simple form.

Read More About Research Trial Opt-Out

Read More About Contact a Patient

Read More About Advance Care Planning

Most prescriptions meds are available in generic form. Find out the similarities and differences between the two and how to determine whether a generic is right for you. Approximately 80 percent of prescriptions sold today are generics. If you’re taking a prescription medication, chances are it’s a generic form of the brand-name drug. But are you getting the same quality in a generic medication? Do generics measure up? The answer in most cases is yes — generics, just like branded products, are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. “To have a generic product approved by the FDA, the generic manufacturer must prove that its product is bioequivalent to the branded product,” explains Adam Porath, PharmD, BCPS AQ-Cardiology, BCACP and Vice President of Pharmacy Services. Basically, it has to function the same. “Generic products are extremely well tolerated and will provide the same results as using a branded product,” Porath says. Here’s how generics are the same as name-brand prescriptions: Generic products contain the same active ingredients. They produce the same desired clinical effect and accompanying side effects. Generics come in the same form as their branded counterparts: pill, liquid or inhaler, for example. Release into the bloodstream matches the name brand in timing and strength. Here’s how they differ: Generics generally cost less. Federal law requires generics have different names and look different: shape, size, markings and color. Generics contain different inactive ingredients, like binders, fillers and artificial colors. Different side effects with generics can usually be attributed to these additions. Why do generics cost less? When pharmaceutical companies develop a new drug, they are paying for research, development, clinical studies, marketing — in some cases it can cost more than $800 million and take 10 to 15 years to develop a new drug. “The manufacturers of branded medication products have to recoup their research and development costs,” Porath says. So companies are granted a limited patent to sell their drug without the competition of generic counterparts. “When patent exclusivity ends, the market is open for any generic manufacturer to make a competing product with FDA approval.” Without the same startup costs, companies can sell generics at 80 to 85 percent less. And because more than one company can produce the same generics, competition drives prices even lower.

Read More About Name-Brand Medication vs. Generic: What's the Difference?

Learn more about a Renown Health nurse who formed a nonprofit to help other families through loss. After the unexpected loss of her young husband, a Renown Health nurse turned her grief into helping other families navigate the loss of a family member. Jen Walker, RN, MSN, director of clinical excellence, lost her high school sweetheart and husband of eight years when he passed away in October 2015, while their two boys, age 7 and 9, lost their father. Walker, a nurse at Renown since 2003, was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support she received from the Reno community. It inspired her to want to help others in the same situation. “After Travis passed, the community did some amazing things for me,” Walker says. “I got really motivated to do the same thing and to give back, so that’s when I came up with starting The Journey Within.” The Journey Within organization provides support and resources for young families who have lost a close family member. Before officially starting her organization, Walker used some of the money she received after her husband passed and personally donated to three families. And with the help of four board members, Jen officially started The Journey Within in February 2017, and they have helped six families so far. One of the board members is her sister, Anny Goff. “She thought of creating this foundation in the darkest time of her family’s life,” Goff says. “She knew there would be other families that would need help and support and immediately wanted to help others. It showed incredible strength and courage to keep moving forward.” Nursing Careers at Renown Health Nurses at Renown Health demonstrate a commitment to patients and their families through the integration of care, clinical expertise, education, evidence-based practice and the pursuit of quality patient outcomes. Learn more about our mission, vision and values and the benefits of a career in nursing at Renown Health today. Explore Nursing at Renown Walker’s organization supports families through financial donations, which she funds through two yearly fundraisers. The Travy Tourney is a golf tournament held in memory of Travis, and the “Let’s Toast to Travis Fundraiser” event raffles prizes and merchandise. Along with financial support, The Journey Within helps families connect with other community resources, such as counseling and grief therapy services. Walker hopes to expand her nonprofit’s fundraising and support for families beyond the Reno-Tahoe community. Because of her outstanding work at Renown and in the community, Walker recently received a 20 Under 40 award from the Reno-Tahoe Young Professionals Network. She has also received a Women of Achievement award, a Leader of the Quarter award and has been nominated four times for Northern Nevada Nurses of Achievement. “She is strong and resilient and cares a lot about people,” says Jen Richards, chief nursing officer, acute care services. “She never settles for the status quo and is always pushing our team to do better.” In navigating her own loss and starting a nonprofit to give back, Walker has learned a lot about the community. “I’ve gained a tremendous amount of respect for the community as a whole, but especially for the young community,” she says. “Seeing the young people in the community who have been willing to give back and live really selflessly has been amazing to me.” As someone who lost her husband, helping young families who have gone through the loss of a close loved one can hit close to home for Walker, but that doesn’t stop her — it fuels her. “That’s one of the hardest parts about doing this — it takes you back a little bit,” she says. “But it’s just a very good reminder of ‘why.’ Because when I get to talk with these families, I realize that now I am that person who is there to listen. I just want them to know that they’re talking to someone who’s been through something similar.”

Read More About The Journey Within: Helping Others Through Grief

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression linked to seasonal changes. Learn to recognize the symptoms of SAD in your kids (or yourself) should they appear. We checked in with Dr. Vanessa Slots, the Division Chief of General Pediatrics at Renown to help us understand this condition. 1. Blame SAD on the sun—or the lack of it Seasonal Affective Disorder is a more severe form of the “winter blues. Over-sleeping, feeling irritable or unhappy, and withdrawing from people are classic symptoms of SAD. Approximately 90 percent of people with SAD experience depressive symptoms yearly in the fall and winter, while about 10 percent have depression in the spring and summer. The causes of SAD aren’t explicitly known. Still, researchers believe it’s related to a change in circadian rhythms, with differences in the amount of sunlight during different times of the year as one factor. 2. The further north you live, the more common SAD becomes While Seasonal Affective Disorder is predominantly an adult condition, estimates are that one million children in North America have it. Interestingly, SAD does not occur in the tropics. 3. SAD is more recognizable in adults than in children Common symptoms include feeling “empty,” pessimistic, hopeless, short-tempered, restless and not knowing what to do with oneself. Symptoms vary greatly from one individual to the next. SAD is more common in women than in men. When symptoms are severe, physical examinations are required to rule out other medical causes and determine whether antidepressant medication is needed. 4. In teenagers, symptoms tend to revolve around school-related issues Schoolwork suffers, students have difficulty getting up in the morning and arriving late for class, homework is incomplete, and grades may plummet. Afflicted students have difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions. They lose interest in activities that they previously enjoyed. Some teenagers tend to overeat, crave carbohydrates such as pasta and gain weight. Many teachers, school counselors and therapists should be more familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Read More About 10 Facts About Seasonal Affective Disorder

Read More About Legacy Giving

Feelings of grief can take on many forms and can occur in reaction to many situations, including the death of a loved one or a medical diagnosis for yourself or someone close to you. It is important to remember that this reaction is entirely natural, and many people who experience grief find outside help to be a valuable part of the healing process. Below is a list of both local and national grief and bereavement resources for all ages and specificities. If you or someone you know is experiencing grief, the trained professionals below are here to help. Solace Tree Support groups for children and teens (ages 3 to 18), young adults and their family members. For more information visits solacetree.org/grief-programs or call 775-324-7723. Healing Minds Counseling services for those coping with the loss of a loved one or major life change. For more information visit healingminds.com/grief-counseling-reno-nv or call 775-448-9760. Circle of Life Hospice Support groups open to the community held the first and third Tuesday of every month. Fore more information visits colhospice.com/bereavement-and-spiritual-care or call 775-827-2298. Summit View Hospice Grief and bereavement support open to the community-groups, memorials and by mail. For more information visit summitviewhospice.com or call 775-636-9598. The Compassionate Friends Monthly support group on the second Monday of each month for families after a child dies. Fore more information visit facebook.com/TheCompassionateFriendsofReno, compassionatefriends.org or call 775-750-7005. Healing for Survivors of Suicide Links and resources for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. For more information visit survivingsuicide.com GriefShare Grief recovery support groups meeting weekly both in-person and online with options in Reno/Sparks, Carson City and rural cities. For more information www.griefshare.org National Alliance for Grieving Children Resources for parents and caregivers to help children navigate the challenges of bereavement and grow into healthy adults. For more information visit nacg.org/resources-and-support/ Mourning Hope Grief Center Grief support groups, counseling, resources and COVID-19 support for children, adults and families before and after a death loss. For more information visit mourninghope.org Crisis Support Services of Nevada 24/7, free, confidential and caring support to people in crisis across Nevada and the U.S. For more information visit cssnv.org, call 775-784-8090 or text CARE to 839863 National Alliance on Mental Illness-Warmline A stigma-free, non-crisis phone service you can call or text that is staffed by trained peers in recovery. For more information visit namiwesternnevada.org/resources/ or call 775-241-4212. Vitas Healthcare Grief and bereavement resources and support groups both virtual and phone-in. For more information visit vitas.com/family-and-caregiver-support or call 866-489-0583. St. Mary’s - Hospice We Promise Resources on grief for all groups including children to adults, trauma, caregivers and more. For more information visit hospicewepromise.com/topics/grief or call 775-525-6700. Mountain View Mortuary Grief support and tools available to assist you in your healing journey including “365 Days of Healing” email list for daily support and comfort. For more information visit mountainviewmortuary.net/resources/grief-support or call 775-788-2199 Sesame Street – Helping Kids Grieve Discover games, videos and more on topics important to you and your child. For more information visit sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/grie Trauma Intervention Program-Northern NV A national non-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to ensuring those emotionally traumatized receive assistance. For more information visit tipnnv.org/about-tip/resources Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Organization A non-profit organization dedicated to the support of families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death. For more information visit pilsos.org Caring Info A program of the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization providing free resources to help people make decisions about end-of-life. For more information visit nhpco.org/patients-and-caregivers/

Read More About Grief and Bereavement Resources

Read More About Contractor Interim Life Safety Measure

Some days a chat with a friend is all you need to feel better. Why? Because humans are social beings. Although we have more technology than ever at our fingertips, sometimes we may still feel left out or disconnected. Dr. Buddy Coard, Ed.D., Psychologist at the Stacie Mathewson Behavioral Health Addiction Institute at Renown, discusses the importance of social connections and tips on how to keep connecting, warning signs of loneliness and how to feel less lonely.  Why are Social Connections Important? Dr. Coard points to significant research on the topic of loneliness and social connections. He uses the findings below to detail how social connections affect our overall health. In a recent survey 40% of participants reported they sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful and that they feel isolated. Surprisingly, this survey suggests Generation Z (18-22 years old) is the loneliest generation. Another study associates loneliness as a risk factor for early death. It indicates lack of social connection heightens health risks as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, or having alcohol use disorder. In fact, loneliness and social isolation are twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity (Perspectives on Psychological Science, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2015). A 2018 study investigated several standard measures of social isolation, including marital status, frequency of religious service attendance, club meetings/group activities and number of close friends or relatives. The findings revealed race as a strong predictor of social isolation. In particular, black men and women were more likely to be lonely than were white men and women. Loneliness also switches on your body’s long-term “fight-or-flight” stress signaling system, which negatively affects your immune system. People who feel lonely have lower immunity and more inflammation than people who don’t. Dr. Coard recommends the following tips for those who feel lonely. Tips to Increase Social Connection Get outside. More and more nature prescriptions are common. In fact even a 10 minute walk can elevate your mood and get your blood flowing. Develop a schedule of activities to accomplish in a week, setting realistic goals. Monitor your technology. Of course, watching the 24/7 news cycle can be depressing. Turn off the TV and listen to music or read a book instead. Even better, use technology to connect with family members by having a virtual game night or book club discussion. Write it out. When was the last time you sent a good old-fashioned letter or card? Or even wrote in a journal? Try to brighten someone’s day with snail mail. Writing down your hopes and fears also helps you to get worries off your mind and process your emotions. With this in mind, there are also volunteer opportunities to support others by sending a handwritten letter to others battling depression. De-clutter your surroundings. Go through those old photos and put them in an album. Clean out a drawer, cupboard or closet. You will feel a sense of accomplishment and can donate items you no longer need that others can enjoy. Increase your joy by reducing your clutter. Warning Signs of Chronic Loneliness One size does not fit all when it comes to loneliness. For this reason, loneliness can be different depending on your particular situation and your unique personality. However, if you feel some (or all) of the following symptoms, chronic loneliness may be affecting you: Lack of ‘best’ or close friends. You connect with others on a surface level, but feel no one truly understands you. People are n your life, yet you are not connecting on a deep, intimate level with them. You feel lonely even when people are around. This means feeling disengaged or not part of the group when around others. You feel less than enough. You often doubt yourself or don’t feel good enough when comparing yourself to others. And social situations feel exhausting. What Can Someone Do to Feel Less Lonely? Dr. Coard offers the following suggestion for those with a lack of social connections: Talk with your doctor, psychologist or another healthcare professional. Sometimes chronic loneliness relates to longstanding negative beliefs that an individual has about themselves. Engage in behavioral activation. For example, being more active and involved in life by scheduling activities which can potentially improve your mood and decrease feelings of isolation. Initially behavioral activation can be very challenging due to lack of motivation, but setting a reasonable schedule of activities is a good start. Pay attention to your sleep. Sometimes when people become lonely they experience significant changes in their sleep cycle. Frequently they sleep too much, or too little. Make sure to maintain a normal, healthy sleep/wake cycle, following good sleep hygiene recommendations.

Read More About Social Connections: Why They Benefit Your Health